San Marcos to install beacons, signs to reduce speed near schools

SAN MARCOS - Drivers will receive an extra reminder starting
next month to reduce their speed near six San Marcos school sites,
when the city installs new radar speed "feedback" signs and
solar-powered yellow beacons.

The new devices will be installed at Woodland Park Middle School
and Discovery, Knob Hill, Richland, San Marcos and Twin Oaks
elementary schools.

The City Council approved the purchase of both the solar-powered
yellow beacons and feedback signs at its June 13 meeting.

City Council Member Pia Harris-Ebert said the city decided to
buy the new devices to accompany speed limit signage near schools
because they have received a lot of calls about a growing number of
drivers who do not abide by posted signs.

"Many people forget they are driving near schools," said
Harris-Ebert, who is also a teacher. "Our main concern is school
safety. We want to make sure people do not forget there are schools
located on many busy streets."

The city will be reimbursed for the new speed devices with grant
money from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The devices will be
purchased from J & J Inc., of Chino, which submitted the lowest
bid of $89,173, according to city officials. The signs will be
installed by a separate contractor.

At Discovery, Knob Hill, Richland and San Marcos elementary
schools the city will install radar speed "feedback" signs. The
feedback signs will alert motorists to their actual speed when they
drive past it.

At Discovery, Twin Oaks Elementary and Woodland Park Middle
School, flashing yellow beacons that alert drivers to their speed
will be added to the existing "School Speed Limit 25" signs,
according to city officials.

Current speed limit postings at all San Marcos schools are 25
miles per hour during school hours. But when students are not
present, the speed limit signage varies up to 45 miles an hour,
said Kathy Tanner, executive director of facilities and planning
for the San Marcos Unified School District.

Steve Baum, principal at Knob Hill Elementary, said he spoke to
city officials a year ago about speeding concerns near his school,
which is located at the bottom of a hill on Knob Hill and Bennett
Street.

"I think it's a great idea," said Baum. "Anything to bring
awareness about school safety would be beneficial to us."

Baum said school officials have heard isolated incidents
involving speeding cars and have told city officials they are
interested in reducing those complaints.

"School safety is our top priority," said Baum. "Ninety-nine
percent of the drivers follow the rules, but there is always that 1
percent that doesn't."

Sgt. Cliston Hensley of the San Marcos Sheriff's Department said
the city currently uses two feedback signs at various school
locations on a weekly basis.

Hensley said the new beacons and feedback signs will be useful
to monitor the speed of cars at more school sites and help
authorities better identify speeding cars.

The new radar speed signs will give the Sheriff's Department
information such as the dates and times that certain vehicles were
speeding in a spreadsheet format, said Hensley.

"It's going to give us feedback to know whether or not we need
to provide more enforcement at each school site," he said.